The Four Main Active Ingredients in Antacids to Watch Out For

Antacids are digestive aids that come in different forms - chewable, tablet, and liquid - and are sold over the counter under numerous brand names. All forms of antacids work relatively quickly, pacifying symptoms within a few minutes. However, it is the liquid form that probably offers the quickest relief. Equally numerous are the different ingredients these antacids may contain.

Included in these ingredients are aluminum carbonate, the various bismuth compounds (including bismuth aluminate, bismuth carbonate, bismuth subcarbonate, and bismuth subnitrate), glycine, the different magnesium compounds (including magnesium carbonate, magnesium oxide, magnesium trisilicate, magnesium aluminosilicate, and magnesium aluminum hydroxide), dried milk solids, aluminum sodium silicate, the various sodium compounds (including sodium carbonate and potassium tartrate), and the two tartrate compounds - sodium citrotartrate and tartaric acid.

Because antacids contain various active ingredients, the effect of one type on a person may be different on another. Having said this, it is important to state here that there are basically four main active ingredients in antacids one should look for on a product's label, any of which may cause more problems than they solve: aluminum hydroxide, calcium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, and sodium bicarbonate. Most antacids contain any one of these four active ingredients, either alone or in combination with other ingredients; all four are classified as salt.

All antacids work at more or less the same level of effectiveness. They are also generally effective and safe for occasional use. Just the same, antacids do have side effects that one needs to know about. As examples, some antacids, particularly those containing aluminum hydroxide or calcium carbonate, have a tendency to cause constipation; others, especially those containing magnesium hydroxide or sodium bicarbonate, may cause diarrhea. For those who experience such problems, switching to a different antacid - one without any of the four main active ingredients listed above - may help.

Some known brands of antacids make use of simethicone, an anti-foaming agent. This substance helps in relieving the feeling of bloating, as well as the discomfort or pain brought about by excess gas in the stomach.

Watching what you eat is important if you are to avoid such digestive problem. Likewise important is to test several antacids until you come to a specific brand that best alleviates your condition. Doctors however advise not to use antacids, most especially those containing the four active ingredients mentioned here, unless there is a real need for you to use any of them. [Read the Original Article]